Apparatus for controlling heating systems and the like



y 1942- R. H. SNYDER 2,281,888

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING HEATING SYSTEMS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 5,1942. V R H, N E 2,281,888

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING HEATING SYSTEMS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /6 if l Patented May 5, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING HEATING SYSTEMS AND THE LIKE Robert H. Snyder, Maple Shade, N. J., assignor of one-half to Stephen Haas, Philadelphia, Pa.

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for controlling heating systems and, more particularly, for controlling the heating systems of large buildings such as apartment houses, hotels and the like whose heating systems usually require the continuous operating of the heating plant, which results in a considerable waste of fuel.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for controlling such systems by means of which the system may be periodically operated at intervals selected by the engineer in charge, and by means of which these periods may be selectively varied to suit varying conditions throughout a comparatively large range.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction through which operation may be completely suspended at certain periods of the day as, for example, between midnight and five oclock in the morning, or at any other selected period of the day, and this without interfering with the set intermittent operation selected for use during the remainder of the day, and, conversely, may be made to operate continuously for a given period as, for example, in the early mornings when it is desired to restore the temperature of the building to that desired following a period of inoperation of the furnace.

Another object of the invention is the production of a device of this character which may be very readily and cheaply constructed, and in which the selection of periods of operation may be readily altered as regards any given set of periods for which the apparatus may have been originally intended.

These and other objects I attainby the construction shown in the accompanying drawings wherein, for the purpose of illustration, I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the control panel used in my control system;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig. 1.;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the construction of the brushes;

Fig. 4 is a perspective of a typical brush disengaging strip; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary wiring diagram showing a typical control system, the interrupter elements being omitted.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4, the control pan+ e1 l0 mounts an insulating disc II which, in turn, is shown as supporting a clockwork mechanism l2 by means of which a pair ofcoaxial shafts l3 and II drive electrically connectedbrush arms I 5 and I 6. Clockwork mechanism l2 drives a shaft H by means of which, through geared connections at I8 the shaft I3 is caused to rotate once in twenty-four hours, and through geared connections at I!) shaft [4 is caused to rotate once for each hour. Each arm l5 and I6 bears a plurality of brushes, those of the arm I6 being indicated at 5a, 1612, and IE0 respectively, and those of the arm ii at I5a, I51), and I5c respectively. Through rotation of the arms, these brushes move over endless contact bars or rings, there being a bar for each brush, and the bars 20, 2| and 22 coacting with the brushes Ilia, I61), and I respectively, while bars 23, 24 and 25 coact with the brushes l5a, I5b, and I5c respectively.

Adjacent each contact bar a groove 26 is formed, adapted to receive an insulating breaker strip 21, or a plurality of such strips, as is desired, such strips having one end of their upper faces sloped as at 210 to smoothly lift the associated brushes from their contact rings. It will be noted that the dial is graduated for twentyfour hours and that the numerals indicated at 28 are grouped in different colors to represent individual periods of twelve hours each. From each numeral a radial line 29 is inscribed on the disc so that the individual periods may be readily identified at any of the grooves 26. Since the brushes I6a, Nb, and I60 pass completely about the dial once each hour, their passage over the space between any two of the radial lines 29 at any of the contact rings 20, 2| and 22, will rep resent a period of two and one-half minutes; thus, the insulating strips 29 associated with bar 20 have a length such that it will require fifteen minutes for the associated brush to pass thereover. Those associated with the bar 2| would be operative through seven and one-half minutes, and that associated with the bar 22 through twelve and one-half minutes. Since arm l5 only makes one complete revolution in twenty-four hours, the space between adjacent lines 29 at the bars associated with this arm represents a period of one hour and the periods represented by the insulators may be very readily computed, as likewise may the hours at which these insulating strips become efiective.

As shown in Fig. 3, the strip, when engaged with an associated brush, elevates this brush from the associated bar, the brush lfia being so illustrated in Fig. 3, while in Fig. 2 the brushes I60. and |5a and l5b are so illustrated.

Referring now to the diagram of Fig. 5 wherein I have shown a typical arrangement of the apparatus, it will be noted that the bar 20 to 25 are connected in the circuit of a relay 30 which controls the circuit 3| of a motor 32, such motor, for example, being the motor controlling the operation of an oil burner or the operation of a pump circulating fluid for heating purposes or the like. One of the bars associated with the arm I5 is connected in one side of the circuit 33 of the relay, the bar 25 being so shown, while the remaining bars 20 to 24 are connected to the opposite side of the circuit through switches 34 to 38 respectively, which are mounted on panel I and having identifying numerals 39 associated therewith to permit their ready identification. It will be noted that bar 25 is illustrated as havin associated therewith an insulator strip 21 which will cause the brush 50 to be-. come inoperative for a period from midnight until five oclock and, accordingly, if any of rings 20 to 24 is activated by closing its associated switch the period of intermittent operation resulting from its activation will be interrupted during those hours through opening of the circuit at ring 25. If, for example, switch 34 is closed, the system will be in operation as an intermittent system having a period of fifteen minutes on and fifteen minutes off between the hour of five a. m. and twelve p. m. the circuit at this time comprising bar 25, brush 15c, arms 15 and I6, brush lBa, bar 20, switches 34 and 40, and relay 30. Following 12 p. In. this circuit will be thrown out of operation until five a. m. If switch 34 is left closed and the switch v37 closed, the system will be operated intermittently from eight oclock in the morning until twelve midnight and will be interrupted from twelve midnight to five a. m., the circuit being the same as that just described. The system will operate continuously from five a. m. to eight a. m., the circuit at this time comprising bar 25, brush lc, arm i5, brush a, bar 23, switches 31 and 48, and relay 30. Where there is any substantial period of discontinuance, such as at present illustrated, these switches will ordinarily be simultaneously closed or, if desired, the rings associated with these switches may be permanently placed in parallel.

It will be noted that by employing various combinations of rings, a wide range of regulation may be had, and it is, of course, possible to read? ily alter this range by altering the lengths of the strips 21 employed with the various rings. To

facilitate this, the rings are preferably formed apa of c d abl va i on i hout n any manner departin ro the spir t of my n ention, and for this reason I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a control of the type described, a pair of switch arms, means to move said arms continuously over fixed paths, one at a rate such that it completes a cycle of travel in a minor division of a day and the other at a rate such that it completes its cycle once a day, a plurality of brushes carried by each arm, all of said brushes being electrically connected to one another, a contact bar associated with each brush and over which the brush moves throughout its travel, removable elements of varied lengths associated with said bars and adjustably positionable along said paths, said elements constructed and arranged to disengage the associated brushes from their bars during passage of the brushes over the elements.

2. In a control of the type described, a pair of electrically connected rotating switch arms, means to rotate said arms continuouslyover concentric paths, one at a rate such that it completes a cycle of rotation in not more than an hour and the other at a rat such that it completes its rotation once a day, a plurality of brushes carried by each arm, all of said brushes being electrically connected to the arms, a circularcontact bar associated with each brush, removable elements of varied lengths associated with said bars and adjustably positionable along the bars, said elements constructed and arranged to electrically disengage the associated brushes from their bars during passage of the brushes over the elements.

3. In a control of the type described, a pair of switch arms, means to move said arms continuously over fixed paths, one at a rate such that it completes a cycle of travel in an hour and the other at a rate such that it completes its cycle once a day, a plurality of brushes carried by each arm, all of said brushes being electrically connected to one another, a contact bar associated with each brush and over which the brush moves throughout its travel, a base supporting said bars, said base having grooves adjacent said bars and insulating strips in at least some of said grooves, said strips being each of a height to disengage the associated brush from its bar.

4. In a control of the type described, a pair of switch arms, means to move said arms continuously over fixed paths, one at a rate such that it completes a cycle of travel in an hour and the other at a rate such that it completes its cycle once a day, a plurality of brushes carried by each arm, all of said brushes being electrically connected to one another, a contact bar associated with each brush and over which the brush moves throughout its travel, a base supporting said bars, said base having grooves adjacent said bars I and insulating strips in at least some of said grooves, said strips being each of a height to disengage the associated brush from its bar, and being frictionally held in position in its groove whereby it may be adjusted longitudinally of the groove and readily removed therefrom.

5. In a control of the type described, a pair of switch arms, means to move said arms continuously over fixed paths, one at a rate such that it completes a cycle of travel in a minor division of a day and the other at a rate such that it completes its cycle once a day, a plurality of brushes carried by each arm, all of said brushes being electrically connected to one another, a contact bar associated with each brush and over which the brush moves throughout its travel, removable elements of varied lengths associated with said bars and adjustably positionable along said paths, said elements constructed and arranged to disengage the associated brushes from their bars during passage of the brushes over the elements, means to connect the brush of the slowly moving switch arm in a circuit for an element to be operated and means to selectively connect the remaining bars in the other side of the circuit.

6. In a control of the type described, a pair of electrically connected rotating switch arms, means to rotate said arms continuously over concentric paths, one at a rate such that it completes a cycle of rotation in not more than an hour and the other at a rate such that it completes its rotation once a day, a plurality of brushes carried by each arm, all of said brushes being electrically connected to the arms, a circular contact bar associated with each brush, removable elements of varied lengths associated with said bars and adjustably positionable along the bars, said elements constructed and arranged to electrically disengage the associated brushes from their bars during passage of the brushes over the elements, means to connect the brush of the slowly moving switch arm in a circuit for an element to be operated and means to selectively connect the remaining bars in the other side of the circuit.

7. In a control of the type described, a pair of switch arms, means to move said arms continuously over fixed paths, one at a rate such that it completes a cycle of travel in an hour and the other at a rate such that it completes its cycle once a day, a plurality of brushes carried by each arm, all of said brushes being electrically connected to one another, a contact bar associated with each brush and over which the brush moves throughout its travel, a base supporting said bars, said base having grooves adjacent said bars and insulating strips in at least some of said grooves, said strips being each of a height to disengage the associated brush from its bar, means to connect the brush 01' the slowly moving switch arm in a circuit for an element to be operated and means to selectively connect the remaining bars in the other side of the circuit.

8. In a control of the type described, a pair of switch arms, means to move said arms continuously over fixed paths, one at a rate such that it completes a cycle of travel in an hour and the other at a rate such that it completes its cycle once a day, a plurality of brushes carried by each arm, all of said brushes being electrically connected to one another, a contact bar associated with each brush and over which the brush moves throughout its travel, a base supporting said bars, said base having grooves adjacent said bars and insulating strips in at least some of said grooves, said strips being each of a height to disengage the associated brush from its bar, and being frictionally held in position in its groove whereby it may be adjusted longitudinally of the groove and readily removed therefrom, means to connect the brush of the slowly moving switch arm in a circuit for an element to be operated and means to selectively connect the remaining bars in the other side of the circuit.

9. In a control of the type described, a pair of groups of brushes all of which are electrically connected, an endless contact bar associated with each brush, means to relatively move said bars and brushes at rates such that one group of brushes traverses the associated bars once an hour and the other group of brushes traverses its associated bars once in a day, a groove paralleling each bar and insulating elements of selected length and of a height such as to disengage the associated brush from the bar frictionally held in said grooves.

ROBERT H. SNYDER. 

